Thursday, May 31, 2012

( DOUBLE CLICK VIDEO FOR BETTER VIEWING )
Above you see two different incorrect ways to perform the seated row both which are described below. It is not uncommon to visit almost any gym in American and see this being done daily.

The Bad-1) Hinging at the lumbar spine-This exercise is supposed to be a weight lifting row not a rowing exercise. I think some people tend to think they get a better pre-stretch by doing such a move but the only thing you will get is a bad back.

2) Lean backs-Usually happens when the weight is way too heavy and instead of being able to use their back and retract properly the lifter leans back with the torso to compensate.

Below is the proper way to perform the seated row. Some basic cues are

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

I have done this routine a couple of times and it will burn your biceps like no other. This is best done with a training partner or someone to help you drop the weight. Get set up on a preacher curl and load the weight with something you could do for 5-6 tough reps. Start off by doing that weight and hitting 5-6 reps. Put the bar down and rest for 15sec while your partner cuts the weight down by 5-10 total lbs. Now try and knock out more reps than the previous set ( which was 5-6 ) and get 7 or 8. Rack the bar and take 15sec rest, drop another 5-10 total lbs and then aim to get more reps than the second set. Repeat this until you have dropped the weight a total of 4-5 times.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Seeing most people are strapped for time in the gym I thought this would help those looking to find ways to decrease their time in the gym yet get not decrease the results. Still keep in mind your goals and remember that each way listed is not the only way a workout can be set up.

1) Use antagonist muscle groups in your training-This involves alternating between opposing muscle groups like doing chest/back, or hamstring/quads. The advantages are: quicker recovery, shorter workouts and better strength. A simple set up could be to do a bench press followed by a dumbbell row.

2) Use upper/lower body sequences-This is similar to #1 in terms of the benefits but allows you to rest the whole upper body while the lower body works and vice versa. This style of training is also great for those looking to drop body fat and improve their overall appearance.Example would be a squat with pullup.

3) Do full body workouts-Allows you to get the most work in every workout which can improve your work capacity and training efficiency.Aim to perform at least one exercise for each major muscle group. Keep in mind that your arms get work when doing pushing and pulling movements.

4) Have a plan- If you go blind into a workout you will waste a ton of time and end up falling into bad habits and routine. Get a complain together for each workout and notice how your workouts improve.

5) Do more bang for your buck exercises-Generally these are compound exercises over isolation exercises. Compound exercises will recruit the greatest of muscle fibers. If your goal is to get bigger or stronger you want to use exercises that allow for the greatest load. Example is to use close grip presses over kickbacks, squats over extensions etc.

6) Workout with your time-This seems obvious but more people tend to chat or read a magazine or waste precious gym time instead of hitting it hard.

Monday, May 21, 2012

1) Get your sleep! Too many people are walking around not getting enough sleep and instead working like dogs and then using energy supplements to push themselves further without sleep.Sleep and fat loss are connected. Studies have shown those who gets less sleep tend to have higher insulin releases which equals no fat loss. If you are going to workout and eat right then make sure to get your sleep as well.

2) Have the right mindset. Yes you need to work hard in the gym, yes you need to eat right in the kitchen but everything begins and ends with your mind. When it is late at night and you tired, bored or annoyed and you want that unhealthy snack what are you going to do? Think of yourself as a lean motivated person who is out to get better and you will have that mindset in all you do.

3) Don't worry about others, just yourself. It doesn't matter what others do or what others look like the only important thing is you. Do not try and look like celebrities or your best friend but instead aim look the best you can look. Focus on you and watch what happens. The only you can control is your eating, lifting and mind so worry about that and not the Joe next to you.

4) Be positive and remember the bests. When you cheat on your diet, or skip workouts don't let that bring you down and let you fall off track, instead focus on the times you were dominating and get yourself back onto that path!

5) Everything works, but nothing works all the time. Make sure you change your workouts from time to time. Use a variety of rep ranges, weights and equipment.

6) Always get carbs in your post workout nutrition. Carbs consumed at this time will not contribute to fat gain and might even help with fat loss.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A1) Leg curl- 10 reps + 12 partial reps ( do 10 normal full range of motion reps, then cut the weight down by a plate or two and then do 12 partials in which you bring your legs up just 1/4 the way up and then down again.

30-40 seconds rest

A2) Spilt squats with dumbells-10 reps + 2 isometric holds ( do 10 normal reps and then do reps 11 and 12 with a 5 second pause at the bottom of the movement )

30-40 seconds rest

A3) Leg press-25 reps + final rep slow down ( after doing 24 reps, do the last rep as slow as you can both upward and downward)

Monday, May 7, 2012

Below is a guest post from a co-worker who is really smart and I think everyone will enjoy his post .

Habits. What they are and how they form.

By: Thompson Maesaka

Habits
can be our best friend and our worst enemy. Getting into good habits
early is the best way to make any fitness goal incredibly easy. When you
make unconscious decisions that have a positive impact on your health,
over time your improvement is inevitable. But what happens when you miss
the boat on a few good habits, which turn into a few more, and 5 years
down the road all of the fast food and wine you thought “wasn’t that
bad” has settled in your midsection? Then it’s time for a change. But
change isn’t always as easy as people think. The longer we engrain a
specific sequence of neural firing (ie. habits) the harder it is to
reprogram a new sequence that elicits a healthy behavior. Here’s a brief
description of how habits form, and ways to trick your brain into
making better decisions.

You
have 2 primary systems that work to form your habits. One is fast, sub
conscious, and emotionally driven. The other is slow, rationale, and
takes into account your long term goals and aspirations. The first,
let’s call it the quick fix system, is largely dictated by the firing
rate of a set of neurons associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Dopamine lets your brain know something is rewarding. The processed
foods prevalent in our culture’s diet by definition are extremely
addictive, in a sense that they condition a large release of dopamine
despite having next to no nutritional value. These neurons also
communicate subconsciously with the memory centers to estimate how
rewarding things in your environment are. When you see your favorite
food, you get a sensation that tells you “I want that”. This is because
your memory center is telling your dopamine neurons to fire rapidly,
indicating a historically rewarding experience associated with that
food. Consequently, looking at a bowl of broccoli generally does the
opposite, because this system is not interested in the long term benefit
of broccoli. The quick fix system is only interested in how much
dopamine things in your environment could potentially give you right
now. As you can imagine, this is a problem for individuals attempting to
“diet.” The quick fix system recognizes a food, tells your dopamine
neurons it has always been rewarding (releases a lot of dopamine) and
tells you to eat it. Now. Right now. If you’ve ever caved
on a diet, you’re familiar with the voice of reason that comes in and
makes you feel like a total failure. Cue the self regulating system.

The
self regulating system is the other part of the puzzle. This mature,
refined brain center is responsible for making sure your decisions are
based on what you wish to accomplish in the long run. It’s located in
the region of the brain associated with “higher processing”, so it takes
longer for some signals to reach it. Many times, the quick fix system
sends such strong signals to a dopamine deprived brain, the subconscious
automatic response that is emotionally driven takes place before this
system gets a chance to process the input. So when it all boils down,
sometimes the fight is rigged in the first system’s favor. However,
there is hope. Below are ways to “habit proof” your environment and tips
to even out your neurochemistry so the quick fix system doesn’t
dominate decision making.

1.
Write down a goal and put it on every single item you have trouble
resisting. This will automatically call out the self regulating system,
allowing it to catch up to the decision at hand. This will at least give
your brain a balanced opportunity to make a rational decision by
allowing the slower to activate region to turn on before a bad choice is
acted on.

2.
On the same piece of paper, make a list of healthier alternatives.
Adding opportunity is a great way to decrease input from the dopamine
neurons, and a great way to call upon the self regulating center. If the
brain perceives more opportunity, there is less drive for immediate
gratification. Take the airport for example. The reason convenience
stores exist is because there is literally nothing to do while waiting
for a flight. Adding shops full of mindless entertainment is a great way
to make money because the lack of potentially rewarding stimuli creates
a stronger drive for something rewarding. Bottom line: If your brain is
dopamine deficient, pretty much anything will do.

3.
Plan ahead for risky situations. If you’re on a diet and you’re nervous
the office birthday celebration will create unwanted pressure to
indulge, bring a healthy snack. The more perceived control you possess,
the less your dopamine neurons will fire. This explains why times of
stress are typically when bad habits come back. The increase in neural
tone from the dopamine neurons is telling you to do something very
rewarding to alleviate some of the stress. Normal things you have
typically been capable of resisting seem that much more appealing, and
the likelihood you relapse is increased.

4.
Put a picture of something you desire or a goal you wish to achieve
next to every item on your grocery list. You should begin to see a
pattern. The more you consciously put external cues that quickly bring
the self regulating system into play, the more neurochemically balanced
your brain will become, eliciting better decision making over time.
Having a reminder of what you’re shopping for will help shape healthier
food choices, and allow you to think things through as opposed to making
irrational, emotionally driven decisions.

5.
Practice mindfulness to strengthen a set of neurons responsible for
objective processing. Mindfulness is best described as “moment to moment
non judgmental awareness.” This requires substantial input from a set
of neurons called “ms neurons.” If your consistently exercise this part
of the brain (meditation is the easiest way to do so), making rational
decisions will be easier because these neurons activate faster. The
faster and more efficient the firing sequence becomes, the more
objective your ability to make decisions will become.

That’s
a few, there are many more. It’s a lot of info but if applied is
extremely effective in helping shape and reform human behavior on a
subconscious level.

2) If you want to get thicker arms than try slowing down your workouts. Research has shown that the brachialis ( muscle that is kind of under the bicep ) responds best to slow tempos and isometrics.

For example- Do hammer curls and raise the weight up for a 4 second count and lower it for a 4 second count. 1 minute rest and repeat 2-3 more rounds.

3) Extension/Pushing exercises work well with negatives. Think of bench press, shoulder press, leg press and squats. Example would be to do. You can lower the bench press for a 8 second count for example. Flexion/Pulling exercises work best with isometric pauses. Think rows, pullups, leg curls. In this case you could do pullups with a 4 second hold at the top of the movement.

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About Me

I'm a personal trainer working in Chicago. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from University of Nevada-Las Vegas. I am a certified trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine and also hold a certification through Titleist Performance Institute as a certified golf fitness instructor. I have been in the training world for many years and have worked in high end spa clubs, private personal training studios as well as major chain gyms.